Technicolor Phase
by anhydrousMonsoon
Summary: An accident in a computer store leads to a growing relationship between Sollux and Nepeta. But Nepeta has a secret, and she's not sure if she should tell Sollux or keep it to herself. Flushed SolluxxNepeta, with pale GamzeexKarkat. Human!Stuck. Rated T for language, because it wouldn't be Homestuck without it. My first fanfic! Please read and review :)
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This is my first ever fanfic, and I hope you enjoy it! Updates will hopefully be posted once a week, and please leave reviews! Inspired by 'Technicolor Phase' by Owl City. This will probably be around 10 chapters long. ~aM **

**DISCLAIMER: i don't own Homestuck, but you probably already knew that :3**

Your name is SOLLUX CAPTOR, and today is just another boring day at work.

You are 19 years old, and have single-handedly managed to land the only job in town where you are forced to work with the most annoying douchebag in the history of humankind. Currently, said douchebag is stumbling around behind you, somehow managing to knock over every computer monitor within a 5-foot radius. You grit your teeth and address him in an acidic tone:

"God dammit Eridan, ith it that impothible for you to thimply _walk _from one end of the thtore to the other? Or perhapth I thould jutht tie you up in the back room until clothing time."

"Oooh, getting _kinky_, are wwe, Sollux? I had no idea you felt that wway for me," he says in his stupid accent, with an even stupider smirk on his face.

You whirl around and shoot him a murderous glare.

"Thut your thtupid excuthe of a mouth, Ampora, before I thove my keyboard down your pathetic throat!"

You brandish said object menacingly. Eridan just pouts and goes back to whatever idiotic task he was attempting to complete before he was seemingly overtaken with an urge to destroy the store's merchandise. You slump over the counter, rest your face in your hands, and groan inwardly.

Great idea, Captor. Work at the only place in town where you have to look at Ampora's ugly mug for 9 hours straight. Not to mention that he can't fix a computer worth half a damn. You chuckle to yourself and glance idly around the store.

There's not much to see: Tall, industrial-looking metal shelves filled with various computer bits and pieces, dull concrete floors covered with paint stains and grease spots, security cameras lurking like large, misshapen spiders in the upper corners of the walls, and one lone Faygo bottle, abandoned in a corner of the store.

Behind the front counter, things aren't much better: On your side, innards of various pieces of technology lay strewn about like the guts of some massive machine-monster, the trash from your lunch, wadded into a ball, sulks near the edge of the counter as if contemplating a suicidal leap over the side, and several bottles of Tylenol and Advil dot the cheap, Formica surface like minuscule pain-relieving entities. You always make sure to keep a lot of those around, since you get migraines rather often.

On Eridan's side of the counter, things aren't much better: Playboy magazines lay scattered about, glossy, bikini-clad proof of his nonexistent romantic life, several mirrors of varying sizes are arranged around his laptop, to ensure a panoramic view of his face at all times, and his god dammed ugly cape was draped over a heinously tacky leopard-print computer chair.

As you briefly contemplate setting the chair on fire and throwing it off a bridge, perhaps with a certain fish-faced idiot tied to it, the front door opens with a cheery little _ding, _the sound undoubtedly mocking your pathetic excuse of a life. As if to verify this, in walk your two best friends, along with a girl you've never seen before. Poor Sollux. You only have two friends? What a sad state of affairs this is.

"Well, hello there, fuckass. Nice to see you," says the shorter of the two males, a distinctly grumpy quality present in his voice and on his face, as always. Karkat Vantas, 19 years old and your friend since childhood, is dressed predictably in his standard black turtleneck sweater with his Cancer sign and gray, torn jeans. His choppy black hair falls slightly into his face, and you can see the barest hint of a smile in his maroon eyes.

"Hey, what's all up and happenin', my motherfuckin' motherfucker?" drawls the other boy. This is Gamzee Makara. He is 20 years old, and rather tall, even taller than you. He is lean, almost to the point of gawkiness, and has outfitted himself in a loose indigo t-shirt, complete with the Capricorn sign, and baggy, black-and-gray spotted pants. His hair, long and shaggy, sticks out from his head and curls around his makeup-covered face.

You grin widely and open your mouth to greet your friends, when suddenly the third person steps out from behind Karkat and gives you a shy smile. You freeze, right in the middle of your attempt to speak, and your mouth hangs open in amazement. This girl is wearing a very long olive green skirt, with the toes of her blue sandals barely peeping out from underneath the hem. Her black t-shirt has an olive Leo sign on it, and she has a very long olive scarf twined around her neck. She is a bit shorter than Karkat, and she also has his pale complexion and black hair, although hers is cut in a messy bob. She also seems to be wearing a pair of blue cat ears. Surprisingly, they look quite cute on her. She looks up at you with wide green eyes, their glistening depths singing to you about hidden pools of sweet green water. Getting poetic, are we, Sollux? Oh yes. Very nice. She looks up at you, her lips quirking into a smile as she opens her mouth to speak.

Unfortunatley, your idiot of a friend chooses this moment to let loose his colorful take on the situation.

"Sollux fucking Captor, what the fuck do you think you're doing? Quit staring at Nepeta like some sort of mind-addled fucktard and pay attention to what I'm fucking trying to tell your stupid ass!"

You jolt awake from your daze, only to see the cat-eared girl wandering away deeper into the store, her skirt swishing behind her. You turn towards your two friends, and find them both staring at you with varying expressions of stoned happiness, and general pissed-off-ness.

"Who on earth wath that?" You ask, fascination dripping down from your voice and splashing all over your shoes. Way to go, Sollux. Those were your favorite pair of converse.

"She wath... amathing," you mumble, staring towards the direction she'd wandered off to.

Gamzee chuckles and gives you a lazy grin.

"That, my motherfuckin' Solbro, was Nepsis, Karbro's miraculous cousin. She just turned 18 and decided to motherfuckin' up and move here, and me and my motherfuckin' best friend here were all up and showin' her the miraculous sights of this motherfuckin' fine town," Gamzee announces, a vaugley pleased expression evident on his calm, painted face. 'Karbro' shoots a magma-filled glare at the taller boy.

"Goddammit, you fucking stoner! How many time do I have to fucking tell your twice-baked, weed-and-Faygo encrusted ass that I am not your best friend? And don't call me 'Karbro'!"

The short, angry boy turns back to you, steam practically shooting from his ears.

"And for you fucking information, nosy-ass, Nepeta is my stupid ass cousin. She fucking thinks she's a cat or some shit. I have no fucking idea why she moved here, but because I am such a fucking generous person, I'm showing her around the town so she doesn't get fucking lost or anything stupid like that," Karkat growls at you, "And if you so much as look at her sideways, I will fucking take your stupid glasses and shove them in your fucking ear SO HARD-"

Your friend's ranting is cut short as Gamzee pulls the sputtering youth into a gangly embrace and begins patting him on the back, slowly and rhythmically.

"Shoosh, Karbro. Chill the motherfuck out, best friend. Shooshshooshshoosh…"

Karkat begins to breathe slower, and he finally calms down enough to speak somewhat quieter.

"Gamzee fucking Makara, if you don't quit calling me 'Karbro', I swear to god-"

Oops. Never mind. Karkat's muffled voice is silenced, as Gamzee hugs him even tighter, effectively cutting off the complaint mid-sentence. He then looks up at you with half-lidded eyes and confides,

"Don't worry, Solbro. Karbro here is just really motherfuckin' protective of Nepsis. She's really motherfuckin' sweet when you up and get to know her." The relaxed boy grins at you and opens his arms, finally freeing Karkat from his indigo confinement. The newly released Karkat promptly socks Gamzee in the arm, flips you the bird, and storms out the front door, muttering obscenities under his breath all the while.

You remove your bi-colored glasses and pinch the bridge of your nose between your fingers, a smirk forming behind your hand. You shake your head and sigh, replacing the glasses on your face. You walk over to your gray-and-white faced friend and nudge him towards the door, which is quite difficult for you since he is about 6'9", and you are only 6'4". All you really end up doing is making him lean to one side as you attempt to shove him out of the store. You groan and give up, and Gamzee laughs happily.

"Oh, thut up, GZ," you mumble, "Jutht pleathe make thure KK getth back here in one piethe, alright?"

Gamzee nods in agreement, and waves at you before making his way out the door, ducking slightly to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe. As he saunters down the sidewalk, you can hear him calling for 'Karbro' at the top of his lungs, and a faint 'Fuck you!' in the distance.

You walk back around the counter and poke your head into the storeroom. As expected, Eridan is fast asleep in a folding chair, his mouth open and actively drooling all over his stupid silk shirt. You pull out your phone and snap a photo of the scene, and head over to your computer to upload it onto the internet.

As you sit at your computer, you realize that Nepeta is still in the store. You get up and begin to head back into the shelf-lined interior, stopping every so often to rearrange the products on the shelves. The farther back into the store you go, the more often you have to stop and fix computer parts from toppling onto the cement floor. You remind yourself to make Eridan come back here and tidy things up later. As you continue your progress through the store, you hear light, soft singing:

_"I am the red in the rose, the flowers on the blankets on your bedroom floor. _

_And I am the gray in the ghost that hides with your clothes behind your closet door-" _

You round the corner of the aisle and see Nepeta, dancing up and down the aisle, singing to herself. You just stand and watch her dance, like a creep. What the heck, Sollux? You've never said a word to her, and now you just stand and watch her dance? Fucking stalker.

Your internal argument is cut short as she suddenly sees you standing there. Her voice shuts down abruptly, and she stumbles over her feet as she ceases to dance. This action causes her to bump into a shelf, which causes a computer monitor to fall and hit her on the head. She lets out a startled squeak and drops to the floor, where she lays very still on the cement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: Hey! Welcome back! I hope you enjoy the story! Just a few things before we continue: First, thanks for the reviews! You guys are awesome! Second, I apologize for any OOC moments… I just wrote the characters the way I thought they would be. Third, the chapters will probably alternate between Sollux/Nepeta. Fourthly, there will be NO PAILING. I just won't write that kind of stuff… sorry! Fifthly, I will try to update about once a week, and I apologize for any late chapters. Sixthly, if you have questions, please post them in a review, and I will try to answer them in the next Author's note. Seventhly (I am running out of way to spell these), my review replies:**

**90sbaby112- thank you! I will try to update as often as I can! :D**

**ZanyZ- YES! Another SolNep shipper! Yay! Hmm... good idea about the accident. We shall have to wait and see what unfolds :3**

**Rinnykagaminevocaloid- That's actually the main reason I wrote this story. Almost NO ONE ships this, and it makes me sad. So I wrote my own story! :D**

**And lastly, I do not own Homestuck! All must bow to Lord Hussie for that magnificent work of art! The song 'Technicolor Phase' belongs to Owl City. Enjoy! ~aM**

**(I just noticed this: The random '3' in the text conversation is supposed to be a heart, but FanFiction won't post the pointy bit for some reason... oh well!)**

Your name is NEPETA LEIJON, and today is going to be great! You graduated high school a few weeks ago, right before your 18th birthday, and you have just moved into your own apartment. Finally! It's pretty hard living by yourself, though. You tend to be forgetful, and have more than once forgotten to take your cell phone or house key with you when you leave your home. These incidents have earned you many a scolding from your cousin Karkat. You tend to brush his anger off, though. You know he's just doing it because he cares.

You pace excitedly around your new home, exploring every nook and cranny of the modest one-bedroom dwelling, before going into the kitchen and making yourself and your cat, Pounce de Leon, a snack. You giggle to yourself as Pounce meows and twines herself around your ankles, nearly tripping you in her quest for affection. You set her plate of sardines down on the linoleum floor and meander into your living room. You sit down on your small, worn couch, and devour your plate of sliced tomatoes, cheese, and crackers. As you finish your treat, you hear a small '_mew' _from your phone. You giggle at the silly ringtone and take your cell out of your pocket to view the text message.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began pestering arsenicCatnip [AC] at 1:12 pm.

[CG] HEY NEPETA, DO YOU WANT TO COME WITH ME AND GAMZEE TO LOOK AROUND TOWN?

You grin as you read through the message. Your cousin Karkat is so sweet, even if he is a bit of a grump sometimes. Well, most times. You know he's angry so much because he's afraid to show emotions, but deep down he really cares about his friends and family. Your thumbs fly as you respond to his query.

[AC] :33 *ac grins at the thought of hanging out with her furrvorite clawsin* Why, thank you, Karkitty!

[AC] :33 *ac crouches down and begins to bat at her prey's shoelaces and growls furrociously*

[CG] GOD DAMMIT NEPETA. DON'T CALL ME KARKITTY. IT'S FUCKING EMBARASSING.

[CG] AND ENOUGH WITH THE ROLEPLAYING. GOD DAMN.

[CG] I SWEAR, YOU ARE SO FUCKING AUTISTIC SOMETIMES.

[AC] :33 *ac looks up expectantly at Karkitty with big, pleading eyes* Purrlease, Karkitty? *ac asks cutely*

[CG] KARKAT CAN'T BELIEVE HE HAS TO SINK THIS LOW.

[CG] KARKAT PONDERS THE INFINITE MYSTERY OF HOW HE GOT STUCK ROLEPLAYING WITH HIS DUMBFUCK COUSIN AND CANNOT FIND AN ANSWER.

[AC] :33 *ac leaps onto her prey and tackles him into the ground* Yaaay! Thank you, Karkitty! So when will you purrick me up fur our fun advenpurr?

[CG] OK, THAT PUN WAS SAD, EVEN FOR YOU.

[CG] ME AND GAMZEE WILL BE OVER IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES. AND DON'T DRESS LIKE A FUCKING HIPPY. YOU LOOK RETARDED WHEN YOU DO THAT.

[AC] :33 *ac jumps off of her prey and runs to her cave* Ok! See you later, Karkitty! 3

[CG] UGH. WHATEVER. 3

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased pestering arsenicCatnip [AC] at 1:20 pm.

You check the time, and upon finding that you only have 10 minutes, race into the small kitchen, place your plate in the sink, and hightail it into your small bedroom. You only moved in yesterday, so there are still several packing boxes lying around. You try, and fail, to avoid tripping over these and end up on your butt with a box of clothing strewn across your lap and the surrounding floor. For someone who loves cats so much, you sure are clumsy! Upon seeing the contents of the box, however, a big smile lights up your face. Inside is one of your favorite skirts, a long, lightweight cotton one colored your favorite shade of olive green. It should be perfect for today's outing! You go over to your box of shirts and pull out your softest one, a black v-neck with your zodiac sign, Leo, printed on it in the same bright shade of the skirt. You pull off your tank top and cotton shorts and put on your selected outfit. After finding you blue sandals and placing them on your feet, you head into your tiny bathroom. You quickly pull your brush through your messy black bob, wincing as it yanks over the knots in your hair. When your hair is finally in some state of order, you take your blue cat ear headband and place it over your head. You love this thing, and never go anywhere without it. You smile as you recall receiving it from your best friend, Equius Zahhak. He and his girlfriend Aradia Megido had given it to you before you moved, along with something else… but you'd rather not think about that now. It's best not to dwell on the negative, after all.

You shake your head to try and clear it of the upsetting memories. You walk out of your room, grabbing an olive green scarf as you leave. You wrap it around your neck in a loop, doubling it because it is a very long scarf, especially for someone as short as you. You are almost 5'6" tall, still a couple inches shorter than your cousin. However, you, unlike Karkat, are perfectly happy with your height. You like being short; It's easier to curl up on people's laps that way. Before you head out , you make sure to take some of your pain medication. You only take one dose, since you probably won't be gone very long. You give Pounce a quick kiss on the head and walk out your door.

As you exit the apartment building, you can see Karkat, and you and Karkat's mutual best friend, Gamzee Makara, walking towards you. The town you now live in is pretty small, so neither you nor Karkat own a car. It is much simpler to walk around anyways, and the exercise is good for you! Gamzee waves, and you grin and run up to them, skipping occasionally, and tackle Gamzee onto the sidewalk, pulling Karkat down with you in a big heap. You look happily into Gamzee's half-open eyes, which reflect back at you with a mixture of happiness and regret. You flinch inwardly, try to ignore the sadness in his eyes, and greet him cheerfully.

"Hi Gamzee! I am so happy to see mew! How have you been?"

The older boy picks you up and sets you on a nearby bench. He beams at you and replies.

"Hey, Nepsis. Man, it's so motherfuckin' good to up and see you! I've missed you, kitty," he says, his gray and white clown makeup highlighting his omnipresent smile.

"I've missed you too, Gamzee! So," you say in a mock whisper, "I heard that you and Karkitty are dorm buddies at college. Is your sanity still intact?" You inquire mischievously.

"It's all up and motherfuckin' chill, sis. Karbro's really cool to hang with, even if he won't try any of my pies. I'm trying to get him to let me paint his face, but no motherfuckin' luck yet."

By this point, Karkat had managed to pick himself up of the sidewalk, and with a muttered curse, he walked over to you and Gamzee. In his usual loud voice, he exclaims,

"God dammit, Nepeta! How many times do I have to tell you? Don't fucking tackle people! It's not safe. If you fucking get hurt again, I swear to god-" You squish him into a big hug, silencing his outburst.

"Oh, Karkitty! I've missed mew! How has the college life been?"

He extracts himself from your embrace and gives you a small smile.

"Missed you too, Nep. College is alright, I guess. 'Cept for this fuckass," he motions to Gamzee, who is staring up at the sky with an amazed look on his face, "He can't seem to stop smoking fucking pot long enough for two thoughts to enter his head at the same time. Anyways, how have you been? Have you been feeling okay?" He asks worriedly, "No… complications?"

You sigh and give him a playful shove.

"Oh Karkitty, you worry too much! I'm fine! It's been almost two years since it happened, and I know how to take care of myself! Now, where are we going to go first?"

"I was thinking we could go down to the computer store. I haven't seen Sollux in a while. And then maybe we could- oh, damn it!" He breaks off mid-sentence and glares at you.

"What's wrong, Karkitty?" You ask curiously.

"I thought I fucking told you to not dress like a hippy! God dammit, I specifically said to dress like a normal human being!"

You glare playfully up at your cousin and reply,

"Listen here, Karkrab! Just because I'm not stuffed into some stupid purr of skinny jeans doesn't mean I look bad! I love these skirts, and you meow it!"

"Don't sweat it, Nepsis," Gamzee chimes in, before you and Karkat could advance into a full-scale fight, "You look like a motherfuckin' gypsy child here in the city. Pure motherfuckin' miracles."

"Aww, thanks, Gamzee! You're purrfect! Remind me again how you got stuck with Mister Grumpypaws here as a best friend?" You glance over at Karkat, amusement twinkling in your eyes.

He glares back at the two of you, his eyebrows knitting together in irritation.

"Fine, whatever. I'm sorry, Nep. It's just… I can't help but remember. It was all my fault! I'm a terrible person. I'm so stupid…" He mumbles quietly, almost to himself. You look up into his pretty maroon eyes and can see the pain and sadness overwhelming him. You murmur quietly and pull him onto the bench next to you. You wrap your arms around him, and just hold him there under the clear blue sky.

"Oh, Karkat. I know it wasn't your fault, and so do you. It was a long time ago. Please don't be upset. I'm fine, really! And besides, you were the absolute best help ever! If it wasn't for you, I don't know what would have happened to me!" You take his face in your hands.

"Please don't beat yourself up about it. Ok?"

He straightens up and looks at you gratefully.

"Alright. Thanks, Nep."

The moment is broken, however, by a certain stoned clown, who seems to think that this is an appropriate time to squeeze his rubber horn directly into Karkat's ear. With a loud 'HONK,' the latter promptly leaps into the air and falls to the pavement below. As you see him lying sprawled on the ground, you can't help but giggle. Even worse, you try to hide it, and Karkat sees.

"Oh, sure! Take advantage of me in my moment of weakness! What the fuck, Leijon? And YOU," he snarls, turning towards his clueless friend.

"Gamzee fucking Makara, if you so much as _look _at that horn again, I swear to god, I will stuff it in you goddamn ear SO FAR that when your pot-riddled brain is finally donated to science, the surgeon general will shit himself out of complete and utter amazement at its appearance! Is that clear?" Karkat rants, his face becoming redder and redder with each raging word.

"Sure thing, Karbro. Motherfuckin' miracles." Gamzee smiles at Karkat and pats him on the shoulder.

"Don't fucking call me that, you stoned excuse of a roommate!"

You giggle at their silly antics, and together you three begin to make your way towards the computer store they mentioned earlier. As you make your way along the sidewalk, you spin in a circle occasionaly, enjoying the feel of your skirt against your leg… er, _legs, _you mentally correct yourself. You can't help but notice how Karkat and Gamzee have situated themselves between you and the street. Gamzee walks slightly behind you, his long arm resting lightly on your shoulder, while Karkat is by your side, glancing at the passing cars every so often. You sigh inwardly and shake your head. These two! You are thankful, though, that they care so much about you. The thought brings a smile to your face, and you subconsciously begin to hum the tune of your favorite song, unaware that the boys can hear you.

_"I am the black in the book, the letters on the pages that you memorize._

_And I am the orange in the overcast-" _

"Nepeta, could you please try to go more than five minutes without being blindingly annoying? I swear, between the two of you, any normal person would have gone completely apeshit by now." Karkat gripes, yet again. You just smile and flick him on the nose. He curses and tries to get you back, but you giggle and duck behind Gamzee for protection. Gamzee laughs, his deep voice filling the air around you until you can't help but laugh too. Karkat lets out a reluctant chuckle as well. Even if it's just a small one. Oh well!

"Here we motherfuckin' are!" Gamzee exclaims as he stops in front of a small store, "Man, I can't wait to up and get my hello on. I haven't seen Solbro in motherfuckin' _forever_, Nepsis. Even Karbro's started to miss him."

"Who is this 'Solbro' person anyways? Do I get to meet him?" You ask curiously.

"I don't see what you're so excited about," Karkat grumbles, although to whom exactly is left unclear, "He's basically the most annoying fuck you'll ever have the misfortune of knowing."

You've grown so used to Karkat's personality that you can tell he is actually quite excited to see his friend. You wonder what this new person will be like as you enter the store behind Karkat. When you go inside, the first thing you see is a very tall, skinny boy standing behind the front counter. He turns around as the bell on the door _dings_, a bored expression on his face. He smiles, however, as he sees Gamzee and Karkat in the store. As they greet each other, you look at this new person closely, somewhat mesmerized by his handsome exterior.

He has on a black shirt, with a yellow Gemini sign on the front, and black-and-yellow striped long sleeves. He seems to be wearing black denim jeans, but you can't see his shoes behind the counter. As you look at his face, you can feel your heart skip a beat. Wow, Nepeta, way to be cliché. He has tousled, slightly scruffy black hair that is shorter in the front and longer in the back, and the most interesting pair of shades you have ever seen. The right lens is red, and the left one is blue. You wonder what the world looks like behind those glasses… You suddenly see him looking at you, and realize that you have been staring for quite a while. You quickly excuse yourself and all but run into the back of the store, hoping that the boy doesn't think you're _too _strange.

As you slow down your pace, you find an aisle near the back of the store and pause. You smile to yourself. Perfect! Looking first one way, then the other, you begin to sway back and forth, sashaying down the aisle in a (somewhat) graceful manner. You hear faint yelling from the front of the store. Silly Karkat. Inside is for inside voices. As if he could hear your thought, the front door slams open and your cousin storms outside to calm down. You giggle softly and begin to sing as you dance.

_"I am the red in the rose, the flowers on the blankets on your bedroom floor._

_And I am the gray in the ghost that hides with your clothes behind your closet door-" _

As you turn to sway back down the aisle, you catch sight of someone out of the corner of your eye. It's the boy from the front desk! Oh no! You immediately silence yourself and cease dancing. Bad idea! Your natural clumsiness takes over, and you trip over your own feet and slam into a metal shelf lurking behind you. Suddenly, something very hard hits you on the head. A sharp pain spikes through your body, and everything goes fuzzy as you slip to the cool, hard ground. Hmm. Why would someone wear one black shoe and one white one? This is the last thought to go through your mind before you are swallowed up by darkness.

**Gasp! The suspense! And they haven't even been properly introduced to each other! I wonder what will happen next… Just to clarify, Gamzee, Sollux, and Karkat have been friends since they were kids. Sollux moved here first, then Gamzee and Karkat (to go to college), and lastly, Nepeta joins them. Hmm... Coincidence? Karkat and Nepeta are cousins, Nepeta met Gamzee through Karkat and became friends with him. Any ideas as to what happened to Nepeta? Her backstory will be revealed later. I will try to resopnd to new reviews in the following chapters, i.e. Reviews for Chapter One answered in Chapter Two, Chapter Two reviews answered is Chapter Three, ect. And if I don't specifically mention your review, I promise I have still read it. They absolutley make my day! :D ~aM**


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter is mostly dialogue... sorry :/ **

**Hey guys! Ok, so since I love you guys so much (and since I have a three-day weekend) I am updating the story a day early. Yay! I was kinda distracted when I was writing this, so I apologize for any mistakes. Also, during writing this, I deviated extremely far from my rough draft, so I was basically coming up with this chapter off the top of my head :/ I hope you like it :) Here are my review replies/answers: **

**Sam: SolNep is the best ship in the whole glubbing universe! :D **

**Karkat101: Hmmm... interesting deduction ;) and thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. **

**90sbaby112: Heheh thanks! I was very sad at the scarcity of SolNep stories, so I was like 'What the heck? I'll give it a go.' And I'm glad my update cheered you up! That made me feel all fuzzy inside :3 **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Homestuck. If I did, there would be much more fluff! Based off of 'Technicolor Phase' by Owl City. Enjoy! ~aM**

Your name is SOLLUX CAPTOR, and you are on the verge of a panic attack. You just saw your best friend's cousin collapse unconscious onto the floor after being struck by a computer monitor, and you have absolutely _no _idea what the hell to do. You run over to the prostrate girl and gently lift her up into your arms, cradling her head against your chest.

"Oh god, Nepeta," you murmur worriedly, "I'm tho thorry!"

She moans softly and curls closer to your body. As you situate her in you rather long arms, you see a quarter-sized drop of blood on the floor. You pale slightly and make your way up to the front desk, incredibly grateful that today is a slow business day.

Just as you are laying the comatose young girl on the counter's flat surface, the front door opens with yet another _ding, _and you turn around to see Karkat and Gamzee come back into the shop, the former much calmer than he was when he exited. You open your mouth to attempt to explain the events of the past ten minutes, but don't make it past half a sentence.

"Hey, um, KK, your couthin, the kinda, um, ran into a thelf, and thith monitor, it, like fell-"

The somewhat peaceful expression on Karkat's face is shattered almost instantly as he sees Nepeta lying on the counter, quite oblivious to the waking world.

"Holy fuck! What the hell happened? You ignorant, lisping fucktard, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO NEPETA?" Karkat runs over to the counter and gently lifts his cousin's head into his arms, checking her pulse on the underside of her pale throat.

You try to tell Karkat what happened, but are cut off yet again, this time by Gamzee.

"I think I might have thtartled her, and the backed into the ledge-"

"Solbro, how long has she been out of it?" asks the placid youth, concern evident in his voice.

"Do you want me to get a motherfuckin' towel, or some water, or what?"

You try to reply, which proves to be a futile attempt as you are cut off once again by Karkat's manic voice.

"I leave you alone with her for five fucking minutes, and you try to fucking kill her! What the fucking _hell _is wrong with you, Captor?!"

Ok, you are seriously pissed off now. You've tried and tried to explain to this overreacting idiot exactly what the hell happened, and all he does is interrupt you. You glare at said idiot and let him have it.

"Ok, lithten up, athhat. I have tried to tell you what happened. Now thut the fuck up and quit being tho immature! It wath a fucking acthident! If you could be bothered to take your head out of your ath long enough to hear what I am trying to tell you, then maybe-"

Karkat interrupts you, his entire body quivering with rage as he walks stiffly up to you and yells directly into you face.

"Now wait just a second, you miserable, brain-dead, pathetic excuse of a human being!"

Gamzee's voice wavers in the background of your verbal battlefield,

"Um, guys? I think Nepsis is getting her wake up on," the clown-faced boy says as Nepeta begins to stir on the counter, her weak movements unnoticed by both you and Karkat.

The shorter boy plows on, oblivious to all but his vocal genocide.

"Idiotic, retarded, fuckup, stupid-ass-"

By now, you are quite livid as well, and reply back to Karkat with your own torrent of insults, as Gamzee's attempts to get your attention flounder helplessly in the boiling sea of rage that fills the store.

"Hold up, KK. Where the fuck do _you _get off blaming me for thith? YOU are the one who dethided to abandon your couthin in the thtore jutht because you had a little temper tantrum!"

"Um, guys? Hey, Solbro? Um, Karbro… Never mind. I give the motherfuck up," Gamzee mumbles, and walks over to your half of the counter, hops up, and sits next to Nepeta, who has opened her eyes and is looking blearily around the room.

Your conflict is immediately brought to a screeching halt as a small voice quavers in the air.

"Um, Karkat? What happened? My head hurts…"

You and Karkat turn towards the voice, and see Nepeta sitting on the countertop, leaning against Gamzee as he strokes her back and tries to comfort her. Karkat shoves you out of the way and practically runs up to the girl, the anger on his face almost immediately replaced by anxiety.

"Nepeta, are you alright? How much do you remember? Do you want some water?" You are shocked at the amount of concern and gentleness in his voice.

Nepeta bites her lower lip and rubs her head apprehensively, somehow managing to give the concerned boy a small smile.

"I'm fine, Karkitty. I just, um… tripped into a shelf. You meow me," she replies weakly, "Little Miss Clumsypaws! I could mews some Tylenol, though."

She attempts to hop down off the counter, which proves to be a bad idea when her right leg buckles underneath her. She stumbles forwards with a squeak of pain, right into you. You quickly catch her by the shoulders and steady her. She looks up you for the third time that day, and your breath catches in your throat.

"Th-thank mew," she says, as you find yourself trapped in her beautiful green gaze. Your heart beats fervently, and you pray she can't hear it as you reply in a rather weak voice,

"You're welcome, um, Nepeta, right?" Ugh. Way to be awkward, Sollux. Nice job.

She smiles and nods her head, then grimaces and clutches it in her delicate hands. You mentally kick yourself for inadvertently causing her pain.

"I have some Tylenol behind the counter, if you need it. Would you like thome water too?" You ask her with what you hope is a reassuring smile.

"Oh, yes purrlease, er… Solbro?" She asks in an unsure tone. "Sorry, I don't meow your name."

"It'th Thollux," you reply over your shoulder as you reach under your desk for a bottle of water, "Thollux Captor." After locating your prize, you hand her two pills and the aforementioned liquid.

"Thank mew, Sollux," she says with a friendly grin.

Nepeta gratefully accepts the medicine and swallows it with the water, closing her eyes as she drinks. You find yourself staring at her upturned throat, the delicate muscles working as she swallows. You marvel at her face, her body, just the overall fragileness of her being. Except her voice; her voice is sturdy and cheerful, even though she was in pain. Your trance is broken into seventy-five thousand pieces, however, as Karkat begins to berate you yet again.

"Again with the staring? Captor, you are one creepy fuck. What the hell is your deal?"

You open your mouth to give Karkat an angry retort, but Nepeta beats you to the punch.

"Oh, stuff it, Karkitty! Mew need to relax, and quit taking your concern out on your furriends!"

Karkat looks at Nepeta with an annoyed expression.

"Oh, _I'm sorry _Leijon. I was just fucking worried. I came into the store after a small five minute fucking break, and I saw you unconscious on the fucking counter! Excuse me for fucking being concerned."

Nepeta just smiles at Karkat and pokes him on the cheek.

"Aww, cheer up, Mister Grumpypaws! It was an accident, and you meow it! Now calm down! Or do you need Gamzee to shoosh mew some more?" She says mischievously, her hands playfully propped on her hips.

You laugh as you see Karkat mumble a sheepish 'no', and notice Nepeta's blue cat ears laying on the counter. You pick them up and hand them to her with a flourish.

"Your earth, my lady," you say in a proper voice, and bow towards her, hoping that you don't look like a complete dumbass.

She giggles, and curtsies back at you.

"Why, thank mew, my good sir!" She takes the headband and carefully fits it over her head, mindful of the sore areas.

Karkat groans in disgust at the silly display, but you ignore him, your eyes transfixed on the girl in front of you.

"Forget this sappy shit. I'm going back outside," Karkat gripes as he walks out the door.

"Wait for me, best friend!" Gamzee exclaims. He looks back at you and Nepeta, smiles and murmurs a soft 'miracles' before following his friend out the door.

**Ok! End of the third chapter. *whew* I know this one is short, I'm sorry! The next one will be better, I promise! I'm not trying to make Nepeta look weak and flimsy, I just see her as a clumsy, friendly, and generally trusting person. Sorry for any OOC-ness! The only things I am sad about are: None of my friends know what Homestuck is, so they don't want to read my story, and I am not allowed to cuss in any shape or form EVER, so I can't let my parents read this either. So you guys are all I have! :D Oh, and BTW: Any hateful reviews will be broadcasted for all to see, so please don't be mean! :D Till next time! ~aM **


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! I am SO SORRY that this update is so late! I also apologize for the fact that there will be no update for next week 'cos of spring break… *hands you a loaded gun and taps a spot on my left temple* go ahead and shoot . I am starting to wonder if writing this was such a good idea… I get distracted very very very OH HEY LOOK A KITTY! :33 anyways, guess what! I found a whole group of HomeStucks at my school! I am so happy! Here are my review replies: **

**She of the Shadows, ZanyZ, and Wolfen Artist of Hetalia: Thank you! You guys are the absolute best ^^ **

**Karkat101 and 90sbaby112: Thank you for your sympathy :3 and you guys rock too! **

**Sam: Thank mew, thank mew *bows* Mew know, I was actually considering doing a MeulinxKurloz NON-SAD!STUCK story because I love the idea of their love ^^ **

**Ghostlygambits: Thank you very much! I hope the characters are believable ^^ **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Homestuck, nor the song 'Technicolor Phase' by Owl City. Please review and enjoy ~aM**

Your name is NEPETA LEIJON, and your heart feels like it is about to fly away. What started out as a pretty painful day is quickly turning into something that could have come straight out of one of your favorite animes. You giggle to yourself as Karkat and Gamzee exit the store and sit on the sun-warmed curb outside; the former grouchily slumped against the latter. Suddenly, Sollux starts to talk to you, and you can almost feel your heart skip a beat.

"Tho, Nepeta, how long have you lived here in town?" He asks, tilting his head to one side curiously.

You look up at him, leaning back ever so slightly in order to view him completely.

"Oh, only a couple of days. I'm still getting used to all the mew places and things to do. But Karkitty has been a purrfectly lovely guide so fur!" You chirp to him, hoping he doesn't think your cat puns are stupid or juvenile. He laughs a bit and shakes his head, remarking,

"It'th actually kind of hard to imagine KK ath anything but a pain in the ath." You smile at this remark and give him a friendly push.

"Aww, Karkitty's not that bad! He's just… a bit introverted!"

Sollux grins openly and shakes his head even more.

"Right, introverted. Thure, I'll believe that when I thee him handing out candy to thmall children. No, wait, thcratch that, that would jutht be creepy." You begin to laugh even more at this, covering your mouth with your hands as a light flush creeps across your cheeks. Sollux joins you, his lovely smooth voice mingling with your light, bouncy one in a symphony of mirth. Suddenly, a young man's head pokes out of a room behind the counter, accompanied by an annoyed voice.

"Sol? Wwhat the hell is all the fuckin' noise out here? Can't a guy get some fuckin' sleep around here?"

A boy a bit shorter than Sollux steps out from behind the counter, and you get a good view of this rather whiny character. He is wearing black hipster glasses, a silk-y looking shirt of a deep magenta color, and a strange pair of light-and-dark blue striped pants. He also seems to have a skunk stripe of the same magenta color in his dark brown hair. He saunters up to Sollux and begins to aggrieve him in an odd accent.

"Wwhat the evver loving hell makes you think you can just stand out here making all this fuckin' noise when there are some people in here who are actually trying to get some fuckin' things done?"

Sollux verbally slaps him with a quick retort, while you stand halfway behind him, trying to stay out of sight.

"God fucking damn it, Ampora! The only thing you've been doing ith drooling on yourthelf and flipping through thothe retarded bikini magazineth of yourth. Now get your thorry thelf back in there before I pop a cap in your ath!"

Suddenly, as the strange young man turns to leave, he catches sight of you hiding behind Sollux's back, and his demeanor changes instantly.

"Wwell, hello there, little lady. And what might your name be?" He asks in what he apparently thinks is a charming tone of voice.

"N-Nepeta," you stutter out, too nervous to say anything else. He starts moving towards you and you try to back up but end up tripping over your repeatedly clumsy right foot. You bump into the wall, and before you can move, this intruding person has his hands on either side of you head, and is leaning his face dangerously close to yours.

"Wwell, my name's Eridan Ampora, and you are quite ravishing, if I say so myself. Perhaps I shall allow you to become better… _acquainted _with me," he says with an oily grin. He suddenly ducks his head intimately close you yours, his lips puckered in a grotesque expression. Your eyes widen and you try to duck out from under Eridan's torso, but he has effectively trapped you in an imitation-silk prison. Suddenly, he jerks his head away from yours, his eyes wide in shock, and you hear a bottle of Advil fall noisily to the ground, accompanied by what is possibly the most beautiful sound you have ever heard.

"AMPORA! Get your filthy hands away from her or I thwear to God I will HANG YOU from the ceiling with your own GODDAMMED GAY SCARF. Now get your thorry ath out of here before I end you!"

Eridan flinches away from the wall as though it was on fire and turns around to face the angry voice with a sheepish expression. You take the opening immediately, and scurry away from him and over to your savior. Sollux puts a protective arm around you, and you hug him back thankfully as Eridan stammers out an apology.

"S-sorry, Sol, I didn't know she wwas yours. Believve me, I wwon't be bothering her again, you have my wword on that."

Sollux fixes him with an icy glare as the youth slinks back into the back room. At least, you _assume _it's an icy stare, since you can't actually see his eyes behind his bi-colored glasses. After Eridan has disappeared, Sollux turns to you, apology practically pouring from him voice.

"Oh my god, Nepeta, I am tho thorry. Ampora ith a complete douchebag and I thouldn't have turned my back on him." His kind words fill your heart with fluffy feelings, and you hug him even tighter.

"Don't feel bad, Sollux! I'm just glad mew were there to rescue me!" You release him from your embrace and scoop up the bottle of pain relievers and toss it to him. He catches it with an appreciative grin and plunks it down soundly on the countertop. He looks over at you, with what you hope is the beginning of a crush in his eyes. Er… glasses, you mean.

"Well, bethideth the monitor inthident, and the Eridan athholery, how hath your day been tho far?"

"Ooh, absolutely lovely! I really enjoyed meeting you, Pawllux!" You giggle at the silly nickname.

"Is it ok if I call mew that, Pawllux?"

Sollux frowns in mock disapproval and shakes his head.

"Well, if you get to call me 'Pawllux' then I get to call you NP," he says in a jovial tone, "Doeth that thound fair to you?"

You squeal and hold your balled-up hands to your chest in exaggerated joy. Well, partly exaggerated. Ok, who are you kidding, he just made your day.

"Of course you can call me that, silly! I like nicknames! Well, I've never had one before, but I love giving them to other people. And I think 'NP' is absolutely purrfect!" You chirp to him, a faint blush rising to your cheeks. He looks down at you, a gentle expression on his face. He opens his mouth to speak-

And then your phone goes off.

You both jump at the shrill _meow!_ and your face goes from a faint pink tinge to a flaming tomato red in a millisecond. You dig the offending object out of you skirt pocket and look at the lit-up screen. Of course, it had to be Karkitty.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] started pestering arsenicCatnip [AC] at 3:48 pm.

[CG] NEPETA, ARE YOU FINISHED IN THERE YET?

[CG] WHAT THE FUCK IS SO INTERESTING ABOUT THAT COMPUTER GEEK.

[CG] WILL YOU HURRY UP AND GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE, GAMZEE IS ABOUT TO FUCKING HONK MY GOGDAMN EAR OFF.

You sigh and look back up at your new friend dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, Pawllux. I have to go now. Thanks for everything!"

He looks at you with a gloom-laden expression.

"Aww, that'th too bad, NP. I wath actually having a lot of fun talking to you. You are much better converthation than grumpy old KK," he adds with a halfhearted chuckle.

"Aww, thanks! Don't be sad, I'm sure I will see mew again soon. Um, would mew like my pesterchum? That way we can talk more!" You look hopefully up at him with your best pair of kitten eyes.

Sollux actually _blushes_ a little bit, and stammers,

"Uh, thure, NP. That'd be awethome!" He reaches behind the counter and procures a pen and a scrap of copy paper. You take them both, and after scrawling 'arsenicCatnip' and a little cat doodle on the paper, fold it up and hand it to him with a cheerful smile. The pen, however, slips out of your grip and clatters to the cement floor.

You both bend down to get it, and, predictably, your heads bump together like a pair of coconuts. You become unbalanced and fall forwards onto Sollux's stooped form, and as he tries to support you, he balances one hand on your forearm and one on your… _oh shit_.

You straighten up immediately and back away so quickly that Sollux very nearly falls on his butt. Your face seems to pale and flush at the same time, and as Sollux picks himself up off the floor, you squeak a hasty good-bye and practically run out the door.

_I am the white in the walls, that soak up all the sound when you cannot sleep._

_And I am the peach in the starfish on the beach, that wish the harbor wasn't quite so deep. _

**Hey just a side note: have any of you noticed what my name means? If you can find out the pun I have cleverly hidden in the definition(s) of my name, purrhaps I will add a romance-y scene in the next chapter? :::;)**


End file.
